By Rick McDole
As fall approaches, many college coaches will reach out to student-athletes on a more personal basis. September 1 marks the first time high school juniors are allowed to receive written recruiting information from college coaches. Recruiting materials include personal letters and emails. For seniors, the quiet period of August will end and coaches will hit the recruiting trail again harder than ever. For upperclassmen, fall will bring many new opportunities to tour college campuses and, more importantly, make game day visits.
Sometimes it is not clear whether a game day visit will be official or unofficial. Typically, game day visits are considered unofficial. The college or university will usually not pay for transportation, meals or housing. Keep in mind that juniors are not allowed to take official visits until the first day of classes senior year. For more information about official and unofficial visits, review pages 33-35 of the NCSA Game Plan.
The NCSA Game Plan should give you a good idea of some common questions coaches ask so you will be prepared if you receive any one-on-one time with the coaching staff. Keep in mind that on a game day visit it is very typical to receive little or no interaction with the staff. But remember they are preparing for a win that day and may not be able to spend as much time with you as they would like. If you are a top recruit the coaches will follow up with you in the near future.
It is important that you focus on learning as much as you can about the game day atmosphere of every college and university you visit. Look around and ask yourself,
- “Can I play here for the next four years?”
- “Does this school have everything I am looking for athletically?”
- “Would I feel comfortable even if I could not play football here?”
The purpose of any campus visit, game day or not, should be to educate yourself about the college/university so you are prepared to make the right decision at the end of your recruiting process. Remember, it’s all about finding the right fit for you!
